In a sport that is usually decided by the slimist of margins, Kearney fought off rain and a wet surface to edge gold medal favorite Jenn Heil, who was trying to become the first Canadian to win an event on home turf.

Kearney finished the competition with 26.63 points and won by .94 of a point over Jenn Heil. Another American Shannon Bahrke who won a silver medal in 2002, took home the bronze medal.

Team USA won three medals on Saturday, Apolo Anton Ohno took silver in speedskating earlier.